Extensible centering-support.



No.724,146. V PATBN'IEED MAR. 31, 1903.

e. B. WAITB.

I BXTENSIBLE OENTERING SUPPORT APPLICATION rnnn NOV. 20, 1902.

10 MODEL- 4 ANW 64 9 52M 71% A TTORNE 1 m5 Norms PEYERS co. FHOTGLHMQ. WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUY B. WAITE, OF HOBOKEN, NEWV JERSEY.

EXTENSIBLE CENTERlNG-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 724,146, dated March.31, 1903.

Application filed November 20, 1902.' Serial No. 132,106. (No model.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 'I, GUY B. WAI'IE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Extensible Centering- Supports Employed in the Construction of Arches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved form and construction of centering-supports such as are used in the construction of arches of Various kinds, my invention being more especially adapted for use in the building of raised fireproof floor-arches, but capable of use advantageously in connection with the erection of any kind of floor or other arches.

In the provision of temporary centering structures for raised arches considerable difficulty has heretofore been experienced in finding a simple support which can be contracted or expanded to fit the varying distances between the permanent supports of the arch; and my invention has for its principal object to provide a simple, easily-manipulated, and inexpensive construction of centering-support which shall-possess the capability of being readily adjusted as to length, so as to accommodate considerable variations in the distance between the end supports of the arches in the construction of which it may be employed, and which at the same time shall not interfere with the necessary filling constituting the legs of the arches.

To this and other minor ends my invention consists ina new and improved centeringsupport possessing the capability above mentioned and having as its chief constructional characteristic a pair of companion supports disposed side by side, preferably in parallel relation, or substantially so, and slidable longitudinally of each other, each of said supports being equipped at one end with a longitudinal or endwise extension adapted to rest on the adjacent end support of the arch and also at or near the same end with a laterally-extending rest-piece adapted to support the opposite end portion of the other main longitudinal support with capacity for longitudinal movement of the latter thereover to thereby vary the total length reprerfioor construction.

sented by the main supports. For some purposes I make these accessories of the support integral in the form of a fiat plate. For others I make them separate.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a variety of mechanical forms in which the principle of my invention may be embodied, and referring thereto- Figure l is a vertical cross-section through an arched fireproof floor of concrete or the like, showing my improved centering structure in side elevation therein, Fig. 2 is a similar cross-sectional view through the flooring in a plane at right angles to the plane of Fig. 1 and showing my improvement in end elevation. Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the flooring of the arch omitted. Fig. 4is a perspective detail view of the centering-support removed from the flooring. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a modified form of end and side rest-pieces. Fig. 6 shows a modified construction adapted for use in the construction of an arch of reduced height. Fig. 7 is a similar view of a form of the invention adapted for use in the construction ofahigher arch.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, which illustrate the simplest and most commonly used form of my invention, 10 and 11 designate a pair of parallel fioor-girders,here shown in the form of ordinary commercial I-beams, such as are most commonly used in fireproof- 12 designates an arched filling of concrete, cement, or other fireproof material. The construction of the arch 12 necessitates the use of a temporary underlying centering-support for the same until its construction is complete and thematerial there of has become hardened and set. My inventionrelates to a novel and improved form and construction of such centering-support and comprises as its principal elements a pair of ribs or truss-bars l3 and 14, adapted to lie side by side and unitedly'constitute a truss for the Weight of the superposed material. The ribs 13 and 14. have secured to opposite ends of the lower edges thereof what I term rest-pieces 15 and 16, respectively, these rest-pieces, as herein shown, consisting each of a plate which extends beyond the end of the rib for a distance substantially equal to the width of one-half the head of the supporting-girder or 11 and also extends laterally of the rib for a distance at least equal to the thickness of the companion rib, itbeing observed that the rest-pieces extend laterally and horizontally of the adjacent faces of their respective ribs. From this construction itwill be seen that when the main ribs 13 and 14 are placed side by side with their rest-pieces 15 and 16 extending from opposite ends thereof the forwardly-projecting ends or noses of the rest pieces are adapted to lie on the lowermost flanges of the I-beams, thus permitting the free fillingin of the concrete or other material between the webs of the beams and the ends of the ribs, while each rest-piece further constitutes a rest or support for the adjacent end of the companion rib. Furthermore, inasmuch as the restpieces extend inwardly from the end of each rib for a considerable portion thereof the combined length of the ribs may be expanded or contracted within a considerable range without destroying the support of each rib upon the rest-piece of its companion rib. 17 designates the series of usual center boards, which overlie transversely and rest upon the upper edges of the ribs or trusses 13 and 14c, and the weight of these boards serves to maintain the ribs in proper place.

The above-described construction of centering-support readily enables its length to be adjusted to fit the distance between the floor-beams bya simple longitudinal movement of the ribs 13 and 14 along each other- Furthermore, the combined extensions and rest-pieces 15 and 16. provide supportingbases for the ribs of increased width, and consequently effect increased stability and rigidity of the complete structure.

Fig. 5 illustrates a constructional modification,wherein the main rib 13 is provided with a pair oflongitudinal extensionsin the form of iron bars 15 at that end thereof which is designed to rest upon the floor-beam and is furtherprovided with a pair of laterally-extendingrest-piecesin the form ofiron brackets 15, the horizontal members of which constitute the support for the free end of the companion rib.

It frequently happens that an arch of less height than the height of the supporting-ribs is to be construct-ed, and in this case I locate the endwise extension or extensions of the rib at a suitable point intermediate the top and bottom edges of the rib, such a construction being shown in Fig. 6, wherein the rib 143 is provided with an endwise extension 16 for supporting the same upon the flange of the floor-beam, this extension being attached to the end of the rib at a point intermediate the upper and lower edges thereof. The rib is of course equipped with a laterally-extending rest-piece 16", adapted to support the free end of the companion rib.

Fig. 7 illustrates what might be styled the converse of the form shown in Fig.6, this form being used for the support of an arch of a height exceeding the height of the ribs. In this case the rib 14 has an end extension 16 united to and downwardly offset relatively to the plane of the lower edge of the rib through an interposed block connection 18, this having the effect of elevating the rib to the required height above the lower flanges of the floor-beams to support an arch of increased height. To the lower margin of the rib is secured a laterally-extending rest-piece 16 for the sliding support of the free end of the companion rib, as in the previously-described forms.

It is obvious that the principle of my invention might be embodied in constructional forms other than those I have selected to illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, and I do not, therefore, desire to be understood as limiting my invention to the particular forms shown and described, except to the extent that the latter may constitute the subject-matter of specific claims hereunto appended.

I claim 1. In a centering-support for the construction of arches, the combination with a pair of main supporting-ribs disposed side by side and slidable longitudinally of each other, the ends whereof are adapted to lie wholly or partially between the permanent supports of the arch, of a pair of rest-pieces secured on and extending laterally from the lower edges of said ribs at opposite end portions of the latter, respectively, each of said rest-pieces constituting a support on which the free end portion of the other rib may rest with capacity for a sliding movement thereover, and longitudinal extensions secured to the outer ends of said ribs, respectively, and adapted to be stepped on the permanent end supports of the arch, substantially as described.

2. In a centering-support for the construction of arches, the combination with a pair of main supporting members disposed side by side and slidable longitudinally of each other, of longitudinal extensions secured to the outer ends of said members and adapted to be stepped on the permanent end supports of the arch, and a pair of rest-pieces secured on and extending laterally from the same outer ends of said members, respectively, and each constituting a support on which the free end of the other member may rest with capacity for longitudinal adjustment thereover, substantially as described.

3. In a centering-support for the construction of arches, the combination with a pair of main supporting-ribs disposed side by side and slidable longitudinally of each other, the ends whereof are adapted to lie wholly or par tially between the permanent supports of the arch, of a pair of longitudinal extensions se cured to opposite ends of said ribs, respectively, and vertically oifset relatively to the each of said rest-pieces eonstitutinga support horizontal plane of the lower margins of said on which the free end of the other rib may rest ribs, said longitudinal extensions being adaptand slide, substantially as described. ed to support the outer ends of said ribs upon 5 the permanent supports of the arch, and a Witnesses:

rest-piece secured on and extending laterally E. J. DOUGAN, from the lower margin of each of said ribs, l J. SWEENEY.

GUY B; WAITE. 

